New Companion, Old Friend
by Caelistis.Rydraline
Summary: Say the Master hadn't refused when the Doctor asked him to leave Earth with him. What kind of a companion would he prove to be? Doctor/Master. Rated T to be safe later on.
1. Chapter 1

Well, as I had a lot of fun writing that last Doctor/Master story, and I was watching Doctor Who again today (when I have nothing to do all day, I end up re-watching said show), I figured I'd give it another go, see what might happen if they traveled together.

**So what the hell, here we go. **

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The Doctor walked into the TARDIS, shrugging off his coat and draping it over the rail.

"Before we go anywhere, Doctor, I'm changing," the Master said, stepping past him. "A Prime Minister needs to look the part, but the suit really isn't **me**. Not to mention it's terribly uncomfortable."

As his new companion disappeared into another room, the Doctor leaned against the rail, inhaling deeply. This had **not** been what he had planned for after Cardiff. If Jack hadn't – No, it wasn't his fault. Well, really it was, but this wasn't intentional. Besides, this was a good thing. Here was another Time Lord, when he had thought them all lost, never mind that the Master had succumbed to madness. Perhaps there were others still who had escaped Gallifrey's fate.

And yet he had lost two companions to gain this one. Although he hadn't expected Martha to be thrilled at the idea of traveling with the Master, her cold refusal had taken the Doctor by surprise. Jack's departure was less unanticipated; he still had business on Earth. But despite the man's factual existence, the Doctor would have enjoyed traveling with him again.

"So, where are you planning on using to distract me, Doctor?" The Doctor's head snapped up; he hadn't heard the Master walk over. "You know, I'm not going to just disappear. Not right away, anyway, even if you're still in shock that I said I'd come along."

"I had a few ideas," he replied vaguely, walking up to the TARDIS' console and flicking switches and pushing buttons as casually as ever. He wasn't in shock, exactly. Certainly surprised, though. The invitation had been desperately thrown, and even as he asked it, the Doctor had expected the Master to revel in the chaos he was creating and refuse.

"_We can leave this planet, we can fight across the constellations if that's what you want, but not on Earth!" _

_The phone was silent, and the Doctor waited for the inevitable mocking reply, the obvious refusal. _

"_All right."_

The Doctor pointed to a large lever across from him, giving instructions now just as easily as he had with Rose. "Pull that down, halfway, then hit that yellow-green button on the left." He looked up just in time to see the Master rolling his eyes. "I **do** know how to work this, you know."

The Doctor nodded, turning back to the monitor. "Yeah… right. Sorry." He punched in coordinates, having decided upon the jungle planet of Cammara. There weren't **too** many ways the Master could get into trouble there. Time? Hm. The whole 32nd century was rubbish, the years 6032-6091 were a bit…violent…but the Master obviously had some issues to work out, maybe that was a good idea, then.

He moved right, alternating between grabbing something for support as the TARDIS lurched and trying to stop it from doing just that. Occupied with yet another 'better if it was working properly' problem, the Doctor didn't notice as the Master typed quietly, changing their destination.

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**Well, that's that for now. Reviews would be nice…^.^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Aha, peoples' reviews and favourite-ing make me very happy. Thank you. **

**Well, on we go, I suppose…**

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With a final lurch, the TARDIS landed. The Master strode across to the doors, giving the Doctor time to actually notice what he'd changed into. He was wearing the clothes he had worn as Professor Yana, and the Doctor had to admit, he looked quite dashing.

The Master pulled the door open as the Doctor tore his mind away from examining his new companion to follow. Even before he left the TARDIS, the Doctor knew they weren't where he had intended. The air was cool and dry, dusty smelling, with a touch of…was that mint? Regardless, definitely **not** a jungle. Frowning, he stepped outside.

"So, Doctor, where would you say we are?" The Master stood to his right, hands on his hips and grinning.

The Doctor looked up, examining the constellations, the other visible planets. The stars were somewhat similar to Earth's; looking at them they seemed nearly the mirror images. Two moons hung above, one a third quarter, the other a first. Arasielle, the planet of symmetry. Home to a race called the Stryxile, and judging by the buildings around them that clashed so obviously with the perfection of everything else, not too long after the human race had arrived. He turned back to the Master, his expression unchanged.

"Not here."

The Master pouted, stepping towards him. "You said anywhere but Earth. Besides, this place is so much more interesting than a **jungle.**" He paused, waiting for the Doctor to reply, but he merely stared at him, expression dark. "It'll be **fun**, c'mon."

He walked over to the Doctor, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and guiding him away from the TARDIS. Resisting somewhat half-heartedly, the Doctor didn't immediately try to pull away.

"Master-" His companion grinned, leaning his head slightly towards the Doctor. "I do **so** like it when you use my name."

"We should find somewhere else."

"Oh, come **on**, Doctor. You're taking all the fun out of this. This would be no fun for either of us if we were wandering around in a humid forest full of bugs and being chased by mindless multi-horned creatures. There's a degree of intelligent risk here."

The Doctor sighed. An intelligent risk, certainly, but not exactly something that had been here before they arrived. Still, there wasn't **too** much that could happen…_Well, of course there is __**now,**_ he thought, mentally rolling his eyes at himself. But there wasn't much he could do. He couldn't exactly force the Master to get back into the TARDIS, and even if he did, the other Time Lord could easily just take them back to Earth. Though of course, that was only part of the problem. If the Master left, he would be alone again. He wasn't going to let the only other member of his race that remained just run off. He couldn't. All he could do was watch the Master carefully, and make sure he didn't cause too much trouble while they were here. A task that was certainly easier said than done, and it sounded pretty difficult to start with.

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**All right. Sorry it's kind of short, but I didn't want to lose that. And if I don't at least **_**try**_** to update somewhat quickly, I'll probably forget about it. Anyway, let me know what you think, sil vous plait. 'Cause reviews are awesome. And idea suggestions would be great, too, if you'd like to share. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry about the wait, here. Procrastination plus distractions…well, you get the idea. **

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The Doctor walked just behind the Master, watching as the other Time Lord practically leaped around, his energy quite apparent. Music and voices sounded in the distance, and that was obviously where he was leading.

Abruptly the Master turned, and the Doctor stopped, his hands in his pockets. Frowning, his companion walked back to him.

"See, I **know** it must be a bit…hmm…troubling…traveling with someone who wouldn't be overly against creating an organized chaos, here. But you're so **dull **right now!" He turned again, walking away a few steps, then moved back just as quickly. "D'you hear that over there?" he asked, gesturing behind him. "**That **sounds like a party. You can't go to a party looking like this," the Master's features fell into an exaggerated expression of boredom. "Come on, Doctor. If you're going to be like this with me from now on, you're never going to have any fun."

The corner of the Doctor's mouth turned up, and his companion's grin returned. "See? Isn't that so much better? You don't need to be so serious."

Allowing himself to smile, the Doctor replied that it was.

"Now, the party?" The Master half-turned, eager to get going.

"One condition."

With a dramatic sigh (though really, what did the Master do that **wasn't** dramatic?) the Master raised his eyebrows.

"Don't give me a reason to have to be serious while we're here."

"Doctor-"

"No, I mean it. Or we're not going." With effort, the Doctor managed to keep a straight face. The Master looked like a child torn between two equally thrilling options as he gave his rather reluctant agreement.

oOo

It certainly was a party. Torches lit the square, with flames ranging from the usual golden-yellow to crimson and sky blue. And everywhere there were people. Dancing, talking, eating, singing. Sometimes a combination of two or three. Everyone was dressed in vibrant colours; their fabrics shimmering in the firelight. The Doctor looked down at his own garb, then looked over to the Master.

"I think we're a bit underdressed."

The Master shrugged, grinning. "It just makes it that much easier to draw a curious attention to yourself. It's the best kind. Not hostile, but not too invasive, either. I wonder what this is all about…" The Time Lord strode forwards, heading, of course, for the centre of the crowd.

"Master, wait-"

The Doctor could practically hear the Master rolling his eyes as he replied. "I'll be fine, Doctor. I won't stir up too much trouble. I **did **promise, after all."

For a moment, the Doctor considered going after him, really he should, that way he could keep him out of trouble. Staring after his companion, he ran a hand through his hair, then sighed. "Oh, I'm going to regret this." He thrust his hands into his pockets and walked into the square himself, keeping mostly to the side of the party. It would drive both of them up the wall if he were constantly hovering over the Master's shoulder. As it was, the Doctor could tell that he was going to be worrying over what the other Time Lord was up to until he saw him again. And even then, it was unlikely that the Master would actually tell him what he had done.

Shaking his head slightly, the Doctor turned to the stall he was passing. Most of the stalls he had seen were closed, with nothing on display. This one was lit with dozens of candles, with beaded jewelry hanging from the little roof, and a tall blond woman sitting behind it, looking as if she'd rather be anywhere else.

At first glance she appeared human. Well, more or less. Well, to most people. The Doctor saw it immediately: the eyes that were just too large and too round, the strange texture of the skin. Of course there was also the tiny, iridescent scales that curled into patterns across one side of her face. Though the Doctor supposed that to most people it would just look like a tattoo. She was a child of a human and a Stryxx.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor," he said happily, offering his hand. The woman rolled her eyes.

"If you're part of the communications group, I'm not talking to you, I'm not here by choice. And I **really** don't care about my attitude. If you've been drinking, I'm not going anywhere with you, so don't even ask."

"And what if I'm not either?"

"Did my parents send you over here?"

"Nope. No one sent me. I just wandered over here, saw the stall, figured I'd stop for a chat." The Doctor wiggled his fingers, his hand still outstretched.

The woman regarded him slightly suspiciously for a moment, then shook his hand. "I'm Kaylee."

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**Ye-e-eah, I know, that kind of just…ended. Sorry. My brain started to give out a little, and I couldn't really think of a way to end it…. Aha, I'm sure loads of you know what I mean, anyway. **

**Mmkay, well, reviews are awesome. Seriously. They kind of make my day. 'Cause opening my email and seeing emails telling me I've got reviews make me really happy. Aha, 'cause I'm that lonely over here. XD**

**OH. And if you could tell me how I'm doing with keeping the Doctor/the Master in character? Sil vous plait. **

**Yours till death,**

**..**


	4. Chapter 4

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"So, Kaylee, what's this communications group you seem so opposed to?" the Doctor asked, carefully avoiding the candles as he leaned against the stall. She raised her eyebrows.

"You haven't run into them? Huh. They've been running around even more lately, trying to recruit more of the humans. Especially friendly ones."

The Doctor grinned, shrugging. "Well, it's not their fault. I've only just arrived recently. What are they recruiting for?"

"They just want more members for their little club. Seem to think that the more people they have joining the more will _want_ to join," she rolled her eyes and continued. "They're actually called the People for the Unity of Stryxile and Humans. I just can't be bothered to call them by name."

"PUSH?"

"Yeah. Not exactly an ill-fitting name. Their leader, Adriel Dante, is quite determined to get me to join. 'Course, my parents are thrilled that he's trying to get me interested. Mainly because if I join, Dante'll be impressed, and they'll get their position on the council upped. He's the head," she explained.

"Oooh, getting interested in politics now, Doctor?" The Doctor's companion stopped beside him, a champagne glass in hand.

"Friend of yours?" Kaylee asked.

"I suppose so," he said, smiling.

"That _hurt_! You injure me, Doctor, and I've done nothing to provoke it." The Master grinned, turning. "And as I've been listening to Mr. Dante sing your praises for the past five minutes, I'm going to guess that you would be Kaylee?"

Kaylee grimaced, nodding.

"You know, Doctor, you should meet him. You'd probably like him," the Master said, sipping his champagne. "He's very…" He trailed off, searching for the word.

"Persistent?" Kaylee suggested. "Annoying? Oblivious?" she groaned. "Approaching."

"We-e-ell, I was going to say 'human'. Full of those qualities that tend to end up being warm and fuzzy and that you love so much, Doctor. But you'll see for yourself, then."

The Doctor turned to look at the man coming towards them. He didn't even bother to try to respond: from the looks of it, he wouldn't have time.

Dante strode towards them, carrying such an air of confidence it practically coloured the air around him. He was dressed splendidly in an Elizabethan costume of rich crimson and gold. Thick blonde hair fell over cheerful brown eyes, and his lips curved up in a warm smile.

_Well there's half his persuasion,_ the Doctor observed. He wondered how many followers the man had. It would certainly say something about how good he was at speaking to people. He made a mental note to avoid letting him alone with the Master as the man stopped before them.

"Kaylee, my dear," he said with a slight bow. She nodded curtly, and he turned to the Master. "I see you've found your date, Mr. Saxon?" The Doctor winced mentally at the name, not immediately registering what Dante had said.

"Ah, yes I have. Not really that difficult to find, though," the Master said, grinning. "Just check to see who's standing in the background."

"The really interesting stuff's never right up front. If it is, it usually means trouble. Then again, it seems to mean trouble regardless…" he frowned in thought for a moment before continuing. "And since when am I your date?"

"Since we arrived at the party together, my dear Doctor. Now, I would guess that Mr. Dante has **not** dragged himself from the excitement behind him to listen to you asking silly questions, mm?"

Dante laughed good-naturedly. "Not a problem, not a problem. I'd come to remind Kaylee about the supper this evening. She has a tendency to forget when they are," he explained, shooting a look at the woman. She smirked.

"Thanks so much, Dante."

"Adriel,' he corrected. "Mr. Saxon, you and your date are welcome to attend, of course. Kaylee knows where I live." Dante raised his hand briefly before turning back the way he came.

"Great. The two of you are _ever _so helpful." Kaylee said, scowling at the pair. The Doctor grinned, unaware that the Master was mirroring him at his side. "I suppose the both of you actually _want_ to go, too, don't you?"

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**Right. **_**Very **_**long wait, there. My apologies. My internet suddenly decided to disappear, which halted my update for obvious reasons. **

**So. Comments? Pretty please?**

**And if anyone would care to let me know how I'm doing keeping people in character? Sil vous plait? A quick 'you're good' would suffice. Aha. Otherwise I get the impression none of you really care…**

**Yours 'till death,**

**Caelistis.**


	5. Chapter 5

**My apologies for the long break. I'm sure at least **_**some**_** of you were doing Nanowrimo, too, though. Am I right? I really envy anyone who finished: I was about twenty thousand words behind. -_- Ah well. On we go.**

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Adriel Dante lived in an enormous manor house overlooking much of the city. It was rather excessive for a single person, and certainly strange that someone no more important than the head of a city council owned it.

Dante had given them a quick tour of the place, then left them to their own devices until the rest of the guests arrived, taking Kaylee off with him. The Doctor couldn't quite remember being glared at so much by one person.

The two time lords had wandered about the manor for a while, the Doctor refusing to let the Master alone. It wasn't that he didn't trust him…it was just that the house seemed like it might be a bit of a temptation. They were in a sort of gallery now, the Master's attention caught momentarily.

The Doctor stood at the window, staring out at the scene: a field of red grass, mountains in the distance, their temple – so similar to the citadel – visible even from here. The symmetry of everything stood out, though, the perfection clashing with his memories of another world.

"Very much like Gallifrey," the Master observed, coming up behind him. "I'll assume that's the reason you didn't want us here?" The Doctor didn't turn, but he still knew the Master was rolling his eyes. "So like you," he scoffed. As he walked away from the window, the Doctor turned to him, his eyes following the other time lord as he moved towards some chairs.

The Master dropped himself onto one of the black armchairs, sinking back lazily and crossing his legs. His fingers tapped out the ever-familiar drumbeat onto the chair's arm. "So, Doctor. What is it, exactly, that you do? Travel through time and space to go to dinner parties?"

"What's wrong with dinner parties? That's where you meet people. And learn things. And pass the pickles to the man across the table only to find out that he's Slitheen…" The Doctor stared off for a moment. "That did _not_ end well…"

The Master raised an eyebrow, amused. "Do you really expect me to buy that _you_ just _passed_ him the pickles?"

"Well…I _might_ have knocked them over."

"Mmhm. _Completely_ accidentally, I'm sure. So, what plan did it then _reveal_ that you had ruined? Complete takeover? You _are_ quite good at ruining those."

"I wouldn't exactly call it 'ruining'. But yeah…that was pretty much the idea. You know, they're never really all that original in their plans. It was almost exactly the same as what they tried on Earth in 2006, actually…"

"And…?"

"And what?"

"Oh, come on, Doctor. You can't just begin a story and not finish it. Or am I supposed to believe that a single Slitheen was plotting world domination, or destruction, or whatever?"

The Doctor walked over to the table, perching on the edge as he faced his companion again. "You were."

"Well, yes. But I am _so_ much more than a Slitheen. For starters, I am _far_ more attractive. And I'm not going to melt if I touch a pickle." The Doctor chuckled. "So. On with your story."

"Not too much more to it. By the time old Dron had finished telling me what I'd done, his friends had figured out who I was. So all I really had to do was pull this out, and remind them how their plan had gone back on Earth, and they reconsidered their current one." The Doctor tossed the item he had pulled out of his coat to the Master. The other time lord examined it, grinning.

"A miniature, plastic water pistol filled with vinegar." He shook his head, laughing.

"You never know when you'll need vinegar."

The Master rolled his eyes. "You are _so_ predictable, Doctor."

"Because you _never_ are, Master?"

"Are these just weird pet names, or something?" The two time lords turned to the doorway, still grinning. Kaylee stood there, looking at them with a slightly confused expression.

"More titles, than nicknames," the Master said, his well-worn expression of superiority reappearing. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"Self-chosen titles, if you're calling them that," he said, hopping off of the table and turning to face the woman at the door. Kaylee raised an eyebrow, but didn't continue to question.

"Dante wants everyone in the dining hall, now. We'll have to listen to his 'before' speech."

The Master pulled himself out of the chair, moving over to the Doctor's side. "'Before speech'?"

Kaylee made a face. "Oh, he _always_ has multiple speeches. He's got his main one that he actually writes out, and that takes up the first five hours before supper. The halfway through eating, he usually remembers something, and that has to be said. In an as excessively wordy way as possible, of course. That might happen again, too. Then there'll be one before the dessert. And there'll probably end up being one after he's had something to drink. Or a couple 'somethings'," she explained, looking quite annoyed.

The Doctor glanced over at his companion. It wasn't that he didn't trust him so much as this whole dinner sounded like a huge temptation aimed directly at the other time lord. Lots of people, and the opportunity to make a speech. Or interrupt one, at any rate. And, of course, alcohol. This was bound to be an interesting evening. Interesting meaning trouble, of course.

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**Well, 'tis the end of chapter…what is this, five? Huh. And a huge thanks to reviewers! Especially to Tony, what with your multiple points. But **_**all**_** reviews are **_**very**_** much appreciated. **

**Again, sorry 'bout the long wait there…I'll try to get another chapter up before Christmas… I'm not promising anything, mind. ^. ^ On the plus side, I've actually got a plan written out for where this is going! So the breaks in between chapters should get shorter, 'cause I know what I'm doing now (more or less). **


	6. Chapter 6

**All right! Very close to Christmas, BUT it's still before. ^.^ Mwahahaha.**

**Oh, and I hope it doesn't bother anyone, but I'll likely be switching from the Doctor's POV to the Master's POV from chapter to chapter. Not in any particular order. It'll just depend on who I'm focusing more on, I suppose. If it's annoying/confusing, let me know, and I shall stop. **

**This isn't a super long chapter, but I don't have the entire next scene figured out yet, and I didn't want to cut it in half, because that would just be silly…XP**

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It wasn't a dinner, exactly. More just a group of people milling around a room with a few large tables laden with food. Most of the participants were human, then Stryxile. There were hardly any half bloods. That wasn't overly surprising, though, considering the hell they must get from the less friendly populations on either side.

The speech had been painfully boring; someone really needed to teach Dante how to speak. Or at least find someone decent to write his speeches for him. The Master had paid about enough attention to be able to comment on it if it should come up in conversation, but besides that, he had allowed his mind to drift.

The Master wandered through the crowd, munching on something that vaguely resembled a spring roll. He had no idea what was in it. The Doctor probably would, though he wasn't about to ask him. He glanced around, seeing the other Time Lord following quite close behind him, his large brown eyes constantly on the Master instead of whomever he was talking to.

The Master could see the strain he was putting on his new companion. There were times when the Doctor almost seemed to have relaxed in the company of others, and then he would catch sight of the Master again, or seem to realize that he had forgotten him, and his eyes would fill again with concern.

He wasn't doing it on purpose, surprisingly. That wasn't to say that it hadn't thrilled him to be able to do that without actually doing anything, though. It certainly made up for the fact that he was practically the Doctor's prisoner at the moment. True, the other Time Lord wasn't really all that strict, but he doubted if he was going to be able to get away with anything like what had gotten them here, anyway. In all honesty, the Master was surprised he hadn't been locked up somewhere in the TARDIS. He would have done so, if he'd even let the Doctor live, had their roles been switched. (Not that he'd ever be trying to _save_ Earth, but this _was_ theoretical.) Still, it was unlikely that the Doctor would take any escape attempts too well. The distrust was obvious, even if the two of them could hide it from everyone else.

So he would wait. Things tended to work out better if you let the plan wait out for as long as it needed to, anyway. His own on Earth would have been brilliant if he hadn't cut it off. Still, it's not like he couldn't go back and start again. Humans were so pathetically _easy_ to manipulate; he didn't see what the Doctor loved about them so much. The Master rolled his eyes as he thought about it.

But waiting didn't mean that he had to be a saint. There was certainly no way that he was going to turn into a clone of the Doctor. Besides, the Doctor would never buy that. He knew him too well to think that the Master would ever change like that.

So no _major_ mischief. Well…not too much, anyway. And that certainly wasn't to say that he couldn't mess around with his companion.

Grinning, the Master spun around, making a beeline for the Doctor. And as the ideas for simply messing with the Doctor kept coming forward in his mind, he found that waiting might not end up being as boring as it sounded.

_Just you wait, Doctor,_ he thought, resting a hand on the other Time Lord's shoulder to get his attention. _Wait until it's just the two of us again._

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**Well, that's chapter six. What's even better about getting the sixth chapter up is the fact that I'm really enjoying writing this. ^.^**

**And thank you, thankyou, thankyouthankyouTHANKYOU for the reviews. And that probably just looked ridiculous and a tad annoying there. But it's kind of hard to thank you guys properly via text. So you can just imagine me giving you hugs, mmkay? ^.^ Or if you don't like hugs…uhm…you can have apple cider? Or a cookie? Ahaha.**

**I'm sure there was something else I had meant to tell you all, but I can't remember anymore. Ah well.**

**So have a happy Christmas, and here's my belated happy Yule to you. **

**Yours till death,**

**Caelistis.**


	7. Chapter 7

**All right, hello again! My apologies for the very long wait, here. However, I've been having oh so much fun panicking about diplomas! But I've tried to make this one longer than the others (which I just realized were really freaking short) to make up for it. And I hope you don't hate these ramblings too much…I rather enjoy them, aha…If you hate them, I suppose you can just scroll past them, though… If you _really_ hate them, just tell me to shut up, and I shall, aha. ^.^**

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He knew it was the Master before he spoke. For one thing, the members of PUSH, regardless of how much the majority of them seemed to enjoy hugging, or linking arms, or other such close contact once they had been introduced to someone, the Doctor had noticed that they very rarely approached someone from behind and touched them. The fact that he could vaguely feel the other Time Lord's mental presence near him only confirmed it. He hadn't been among his people in so long that he couldn't tell if it was simply the Master who made the now unusual contact feel so intimate, but it certainly told him where his companion was without difficulty.

"You know, Doctor, I'm beginning to feel a bit neglected as your dinner date. You haven't spoken to me once since we arrived." The Doctor turned to his companion, hoping that the teasing note to his reproachful tone was due to boredom, rather than the beginning of some sort of trouble he had planned.

"Well, you were the one who ran off," he said, appraising the Master's current manner. "I assumed you had an issue with being seen with me," he finished, smiling slightly. Bored, definitely. Not that he'd ever tell him, but the Doctor often found it relatively easy to see the Master's feelings.

The Master raised an eyebrow, looking mildly amused. "I thought you were behind me. Then I went to say something and you were halfway across the room, having a chat."

"Because it's not like you ever-" the Doctor cut himself off, grinning. "Nevermind." He took a few steps, motioning to the Master that he could join him if he'd like. The other Time Lord fell into step with him as they began walking leisurely among the other guests, keeping an amused gaze on the Doctor.

The Doctor's eyes flicked over to the Master, wondering how far he could push this without him taking off due to a lack of entertainment. He would try to distract him with conversation, if he didn't know full well that they would run into _something_ that would cause tension, at the very least. There were too many things like that to consider conversation a safe plan of action.

A conversation – a real one – was something the Doctor wished they could have, though. Not only because he wanted to know at least _why_ the Master had agreed to come with him, but because he was really the only one he _could_ have a proper conversation with. Theoretically, anyway. Those touchy subjects did put a bit of a halt to conversations…

"You know, Doctor, I came over to see you in the hopes that you would be at least _marginally_ more interesting than the rest of this… _thrilling_ party…" the Master pointed out. The Doctor looked over at him, grinning.

"I'm not the only one here. Or are they too full of those 'warm and fuzzy' qualities for you to talk to them?" he teased lightly, remembering his companion's description of Dante earlier. As he realized what he said, though, he tensed slightly, expecting to have set something off unintentionally. However, he saw nothing more than an increased amusement in the Master's eyes as he heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Here I was, all proud of myself for _not_ talking to them all and stirring up trouble for you, and you're telling me to go do just that? Not that I don't like this change in plan," he said, grinning.

"You _promised,_" the Doctor pointed out, frowning. And also pointedly ignoring that he felt rather childish saying that. The Master raised his eyebrows.

"Did I? I don't think so. I seem to recall that I _agreed_ not to make you all grouchy and serious while we were here." He paused for a moment. "Which I suppose takes causing trouble out of the picture…Still."

The Doctor watched his companion warily, feeling the tension that had started to slip away only moments before begin to return. Not that he thought that making the Master _promise_ not to cause trouble would have changed anything, but he didn't really like the fact that the man was pointing the fact out right in front of him. It seemed like he was preening before his show started.

"I believe it would be _your_ responsibility to keep me entertained, then," the Master decided, wrapping an arm around the Doctor's shoulders. The Doctor felt both hearts jump a little at the unexpected closeness.

"Well, I…"

The Master chuckled. "Surely you have another story to tell me, Doctor." The Doctor looked over in surprise. That certainly hadn't been what he had been expecting.

"A story?"

"Mm. It's not _really_ ideal, but it's the best I can get at the moment, I believe," the Master said simply, mischief gleaming in his eyes. "So. Let's hear one."

OoO

The dinner party began to disband not long after the Doctor began telling the Master about the time he became the imaginary friend of Madame de Pompadour. Much to his surprise, his companion seemed truly interested in what he was saying. They kept up their walk around the hall, the Master's arm still around his shoulders.

As the guests became fewer and fewer, Dante approached them, offering a room to stay in overnight. For better or worse, the Master politely requested (in a surprisingly sincere tone) two rooms, then turned his attention back to the Doctor. Smiling at the pair, Dante said he would send someone to show them their way, and left.

The Doctor had hardly finished his next sentence before one of Dante's servants scurried over. Looking rather annoyed, the Master had let the Doctor pause his story while they were escorted upstairs.

OoO

The two Time Lords sat on either end of the bed in the Doctor's room. The Doctor had finally finished his tale about the clockwork men, but the Master was now determined to hear more of his new companion's life, and the thrill of adventure that he had missed out on for so long, hidden away as a human.

"Like I said. I lost it Christmas day in a swordfight," the Doctor was explaining to his newest query. He had only just remembered something about a severed hand being brought about just before he had finally regained his memories and life.

"But why were you-" he stopped himself as he began to question again. The Master could see his companion's fatigue, and rose to leave. Not that he wanted to, but an exhausted Doctor would be no fun to play with.

"I'll let you sleep, then, Doctor," he said, walking towards the door. "See you tomorrow." He glanced back as he opened the door, rolling his eyes at his companion's obvious discomfort at letting him leave.

He paused in front of his own door, trying to take in the silence of the hall. Frustration built inside him as the peace was destroyed the second he found it, and by his own mind, no less. He glared at the wood before him, hating the drums and the part of him that wanted to scream and curl up in a ball until they went away.

That beat, pounding into his brain. It was somewhat quiet now, as he focused his attention on it. It didn't need to be any louder. But the Master knew that the second he started to think of something else, the very minute that those drums were almost nothing more than a sound in the back of his mind, the pitch would change, fixing his attention on it yet again. He needed to be _busy_, to not have to listen to it. It never faded into the background, like the meaningless noises of everything else, so he needed _something_ to focus on other that it. Frequently, the Doctor was an easy solution; the Master actually _needed_ to pay attention to things around him, because the Doctor could actually keep up with him. It was absolutely brilliant.

But it wouldn't let him sleep. And the Doctor was likely already there, in the peace that sleep held. The Master glanced down the hall, his lips curving into a smile. Being a step ahead in the game he had started between them certainly couldn't hurt.

OoOoOoOoO

**Well, that's chapter seven. ^.^ And reviews would be absolutely wonderful. Because they are, quite possibly, one of the best things ever, even really short ones. Criticism is welcomed, as are suggestions, or requests for scenes, if you'd like.**

**Aha, reviews also motivate me to get chapters up faster (when stupid things like diplomas don't get in the way, anyway. I really am sorry for taking so long, here.). **


	8. An Announcement

All right, guys, this isn't a chapter, but it's a needed announcement.

I do apologise for the long wait, here. However, this story has rather abandoned me. It's becoming a chore for me to write, and due to that, it's really not my best work that I have sitting around here. Et alors, there is going to be a break. (Yes, yes, I know. There already has been. Again, I apologise for the few months (bloody hell…) that this has just been silent.)

I don't mean to just forget about this. I _will_ pick it up again at a later date. It's just that right now, the story itself is rather dead to me. XP

I'm not doing this for reviews, or anything (because I just realized that this might be taken as a silly attempt to get more reviews….), merely for the reasons stated above.

Again, my apologies.

Yours 'till death,

Caelistis.


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